The disclosure relates to a control module having the features of the description below and a method for producing same.
Control modules are known in the field of transmission control, which control modules in order to produce one modular component combine an electronic control device with a base carrier that is provided to enable the control device to contact actuators, sensors, plug connection parts or control motors in an electrical manner. Known transmission control modules frequently comprise as the base carrier a synthetic material carrier having fixed thereon metal stamped-out grid parts to provide the electrical connections. A transmission control module of this type is known for example from DE 101 61 230 A1. A control device is arranged on the transmission control module, as is known for example from DE 196 40 466 B4. The control circuit is arranged on a carrier substrate in a closed metal housing and is connected by way of contact pins in glass feed-throughs to the stamped-out grid parts of the base carrier. In addition to control modules of this type that use a base carrier on the basis of stamped-out grid parts, transmission control modules are also known that use a cabling arrangement that is fixed on a base carrier for contacting actuators, sensors and plug connector parts. WO 2005/044632 A1 for example discloses a transmission control module of this type.
In addition to the above illustrated known control modules, further types have been developed over recent years that use a flexible conductor foil for producing a contact between the electronic switching part of the control device and the different electrical components of the module. Transmission control modules of this type are disclosed, for example, in EP 1 831 055 B1 and in DE 10 2005 002 813 B4. However, the flexible conductor foils are relatively expensive. In addition, a significant expenditure is required in order to support and to protect the conductor foil and to provide a sealing arrangement between the control device and the conductor foil.
In recent years, transmission control modules have been developed that use as a base carrier a conventional rigid or also rigid-flexible circuit board on an FR4 base or on a base of a higher quality as a base carrier in the electrical connection technology. The electrical connections are preferably routed by way of conductor paths in a plurality of planes of the circuit board which is of a great advantage in comparison to the flexible conductor foils that have only one wiring plane. In contrast to the classical control devices, which are known for example from EP 1 116 422 B1 and which arrange in a closed metal housing a multi-layer circuit boards having an electronic control circuit arranged thereon, the later transmission control modules use a conventional circuit board as a base carrier of the module even outside the region that is protected by means of metal or synthetic material housing parts. Modules of this type can be produced in a particularly cost-effective manner since inexpensive circuit board technology that is easy to master is used. A transmission control module of this type is known for example from the generic-forming DE 10 2007 029 913 A1. Since transmission control modules are installed in the transmission where they are exposed to the transmission fluid, parts of the circuit board that act as the base carrier are consequently also exposed to the aggressive transmission fluid. New construction and connection concepts are required if conventional circuit boards are to be used as a carrier in the electrical connection technology in the transmission fluid.